_z&£^M 
PLANTS AND PLANT JUDGING. 
the best gardener, and whether that skill be exemplified in the production of a perfect plant, or a 
perfect flower, or set of flowers, matters little, so long as the skill is apparent ; though it must never be 
denied that to produce a plant perfect in 
■VK 
CIIOUUZEMA COItDATA. 
all its parts, from the origin of its first leaf 
to the perfection of its flowers, is a much 
more meritorious achievement than to show 
a single flower, however fine or perfect, 
when that flower has been produced by 
concentrating the entire strength of a 
plant, and by depriving it of some ten or 
fifty flowers, which the plant, if allowed, 
would have perfected. Hence floriculture, 
in so far as the production of cut flowers 
is concerned, is an inferior pursuit, neither 
so commendable nor yet so elevating in its 
influence upon the mind as the cultivation 
of the perfect plant, alike remarkable for 
its rude health, and the perfection and pro- 
fusion of its floral embellishments. Who 
that has noticed the magnificent display 
of Hoses in pots at the metropolitan ex- 
hibitions, could admire the cut specimens 
of the same thing, and who can doubt that 
when such men as Mr. Turner, and Mr. 
Bragg of Slough, bring their experience 
and intelligence to bear upon Carnations 
and Picotees in pots, they will produce 
an equally creditable display ? English gardening and enthusiasm is too far advanced to be tranmieled 
by mere conventional rules or practices, and one might as well think of staying the currents of the 
tide as of diverting a florist's attention when anything great, or to promote the objects of his ambition 
is to be achieved. Hence we believe that 
the showing of cut flowers will soon be 
numbered among " the things that were," 
and that nearly the whole of the florists' 
flowers will be shown in pots. 
The object, however, of our present 
remarks is not so much to draw attention 
to florists' flowers as to offer a few observa- 
tions upon plant-showing generally, and 
to point out what we consider ought to 
be the guiding principles in awarding 
prizes. In judging plants, various things 
must be taken into consideration, not 
only the health and general appearance 
of a specimen, but also the excellence of 
individual perfections, qualities which ap- 
peal- insignificant when considered sepa- 
rately, but which when viewed collec- 
tively, constitute perfection. Thus, sup- 
posing a plant had been beautifully grown, 
was of fine form, had short jointed wood 
and clean and healthy foliage, but had 
flowers in insufficient quantity, ill-formed 
or badly-coloured, or flowers insufficiently 
above the foliage, or with unusually long 
foot stalks,— these would be great defects, inasmuch as flowers being the aim and end of the cultivator, 
and the main object of attraction, it is indispensable that they be of the finest and most perfect form 
and colour. However fine a plant may be, if it is deficient in flower, or the bloom is of bad quality, 
W/b 
FANCY PELARGONIUM. 
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